Blood Money: A Black Butler FanFic
by Lolita-bat
Summary: A Black Butler FanFic
1. Chapter 1

_Hey everyone! This is my first fanfic, so I hope it's ok. It does have some russian words in it so try not to be too confused... ^^" There's a translation at the bottom of the chapter that you can look at for translations if you need it! ^^_

_Thanks for reading!_

_

* * *

_

BlackButler: FanFic

CH 1

Once upon a time in a soon-to-be communist regime far far away there existed a little frosty castle in a little frosty place, in a little frosty town, in a rather large frosty country. In this castle lived a beautiful little girl, and she had everything a young countess could want. Her wardrobe was stunning, her servants attentive, her meals decadent, and her doting father loved her dearly. Yes, Serafima Alkaev lived a blessed life, that is, until one late winter night a week before her fourteenth birthday...

The reflection of a roaring fire flickered across the window pane in the library, the outline of a wintery world outside barely visible through the foggy glass. Serafima sipped her imported english tea and balanced a book on her knees. She had dismissed her servants hours ago and had the room to herself, the resulting silence was penetrated only by the crackling of the fire and the rustle of turning pages. A candle flickered on a wall sconce, illuminating the hand painted wallpaper.

In europe, this room wouldn't be strange at all, but in Russia it certainly was. From the plush carpet to the leather arm chair the little girl was curled in, everything in the room was reminiscent of an English parlor. This european intrusion on a traditional Russian palace was of course the work of Serafima, who got whatever she wished with a single pleading blink of her amber eyes. She had been in love with England ever since her first trip there when she was nine years old, and the evidence of her fancy was scattered about the palace in the form of fine wall paper, beautiful teapots, and soft carpets. The library was her crown jewel, a perfect English study.

A knock on the door pulled Serafima out of her book, and she looked up, calling softly out.

"Come in."

The door creaked open and Serafima's father trumped into the study, flopping exhaustedly into the armchair opposite of his daughter.

"Dobriy vecher." Serafima greeted, smiling sweetly at the worn out looking man.

"Hello milaya moya." He responded with a tired smile.

Serafima lifted her eyes from the book to look at her father, he seemed unsettled. He had bags under his eyes, and his dark hair, usually neatly combed, was in disarray. In addition to this he hadn't removed his long fir coat, although it was very warm next to the fire, and he was holding his left arm as if it was hurt.

"Nána, is something wrong?" She asked, standing up and placing her book on the coffee table before crawling into the other chair next to her father.

Serafima's father looked down at her, his face thrown in shadow as it turned away from the fire. It was hard to tell, but Sera thought she saw sorrow in his amber eyes.

"Nothing is wrong ." He soothed, stroking her amazing long, wavy hair, "It's just that business was... erm... difficult... today." He let out a sigh and wrapped an arm around the little girl.

Sera hugged her father back, feeling safe in his strong arms.

"Sera," He said softly, still stroking her hair, "I was thinking you should go to England again..."

Sera looked up at him in confusion, " Nána, It's the middle of winter... shouldn't I wait for warm weather to travel?"

"You don't want to go?" he asked, seeming almost as if he was pushing his suggestion on her.

"No... I just thought it was strange." she said, looking down and twirling a strand of hair around her finger.

"Good, so you'll go?" There was the tiniest hint of desperation under the calm surface of his voice.

"Uh... of course, Nána." Sera replied hesitantly, resting her head against her father's broad chest.

Her father leaned down and kissed her forehead, "Consider it an early birthday present. Now off to bed, you're leaving tomorrow, so you'll need a good night's sleep. priyatnyh snov." With this he wrapped his right arm around Sera's waist and stood up, lifting her with him and setting her gently on her bare feet.

"Priyatnyh snov, Nána." She said with a yawn.

He smiled at her, half of his face illuminated by the fire, the dim orange light matched the sadness on his face as he watched his daughter plod out of the room. As soon as the girl was gone Mr. Alkaev collapsed into a chair, clutching his arm to his chest. His heavy fur coat glistened in the dim light as it dropped with a soft thump onto the floor, revealing just how 'difficult' business that day had really been.

* * *

DICTIONARY:

Nána- Daddy, Dad

Priyatnyh snov- Sweet Dreams

Dobriy vecher- Good Evening

milaya moya- My Sweet

_Again, Thanks for reading! Hopefully I'll have more up soon! ^^_


	2. Chapter 2

Hey there! If anyone's reading this *hopes fervently someone is* then yay! I finally got another chapter up! Woo! This wasn't a particularly fun chapter but it sure is intense! Hope you like it! Reviews are appreciated and readers are loved! ^^

**CH 2**

As you may have guessed, Serafima's father wasn't telling her the whole story. Alexei Alkaev cared deeply for his daughter, that much was true, but he had a terrible secret, and the consequences of his actions were catching up to him...

With a thump the heavy coat landed on the carpet, and Serafima's father winced, holding his arm close to his chest. He guessed it was broken, but there wasn't any way to tell for sure right now. The man sighed, leaning back in the chair and closing his tired eyes. His white shirt was stained red with his own blood, and was ripped in places. Alexei dropped his head into one hand, rubbing his disheveled hair. What was he going to do? If he was alone he could have handled something like this, but with Serafima involved... He choked back a sob at the thought, moving his hand over his mouth.

Another tear rolled down his cheek, and he wiped a hand down his face with a deep breath. He thought back to this afternoon in the city, when he'd been jumped by three men looking for money he didn't have...

Thud! A fist smashed into Alexei Alkaev's stomach, and he fell to his knees, coughing violently. Two big russians twisted Alexei's arms behind his back as another planted several heavy punches into his stomach. The man delivering the punches stopped for a moment and knelt down to look Serafima's father in the eyes.

"You've failed too many times to pay us, Alexei." The large man cracked his knuckles, looking away from the limp figure he had been bludgeoning moments ago. "No more chances, it's time for us to collect... This time the hard way."

Alexei raised his head, a trickle of blood running from the corner of his mouth as he panted out a response. "Take whatever you want. My estate, the horses, everything."

The big man stood up, pacing back and forth in front of Alexei. "Oh no, my friend. That won't be enough to save you." He stooped down and grabbed Alexei by the hair, pulling his head up so he could see his face. "There is no doubt we _will_ be taking your estate, but in order to walk away with your life we will need one more thing."

"Anything... anything you want." Alexei wheezed through uneven breaths.

"Your beautiful daughter." The man said with a grin, letting go of the other man's hair and crossing his arms. "She would fetch a good price, enough to clear you... a pretty thing like her wouldn't even need to be sold in pieces. A smart man would sell her whole... and alive."

These words seemed to revive the beaten man. He lunged forward, struggling against his captors viciously. He managed to knock one in the face with an elbow, freeing his arm, then with his newly freed fist landed a punch to the other's nose. However, his victory was short-lived, and he was soon face down in the snow, his arm twisted behind his back. The man whose nose Alexei had broken held him down with a knee planted on his back, and with one hand secured Alexei's arm, the other hand was busy plugging up his own heavily bleeding nose. Alexei panted into the snow, tasting blood in his mouth from where his lip had split against the hard cobble stone.

"Ah, such a pity. The man loves his daughter." Alexei barely heard the cynical voice over the pounding in his ears. He felt the man holding him down twist his arm painfully, and he gritted his teeth to hold back an agonized cry. "Maybe we should give him a taste of what he's in for if he doesn't give up his lovely angel."

His arm was released from its hold and laid flat on the ground. The next thing Alexei was aware of was an agonizing pain shooting up the length of his arm and a loud snap that echoed in his pounding ears. He howled in pain and writhed against the hands holding him, scraping his stomach against the rocks and ice beneath him.

"Consider this a warning." Said the leader of the group, and Alexei felt the hands restraining him let go, "If we don't get what we want, next time will be worse."

The crunch of boots over snow grew fainter and fainter as the men walked away, leaving Alexei huddled and bleeding on the ground.

Serafima's father lay still, gathering up his energy, then finally got to his feet. He flinched slightly as he stood, groaning at the pain in his arm. One step at a time he walked out of the alleyway, and stepped into a carriage waiting for him by the curb. He ignored the shocked look of his driver, merely ordering him to take them home. As the carriage clattered towards the distant estate, Alexei closed his eyes and hoped he could find some way to save his daughter.

**FIN**

Thanks for reading! Hopefully I'll have more up soon, next chapter will be from Serafima's POV and hopefully (if I don't change my mind) Sebastian and the others will finally show up! ^^

As always readers and reviews are loved! 3


	3. Chapter 3

_Teeheehee! I changed my mind! ^ ^ So instead of Serfima this chapter, it will be *drumroll* Sebastian at Phantomhive! ^ ^_

_You're thrilled right? I certainly hope so! Anyway here it is. ^ ^_

* * *

As always, early morning at Phantomhive Manor bustles with activity. The devoted Butler pulls on his uniform, the maid tentatively dusts a windowsill, the cook prepares breakfast, and the gardener enthusiastically trims dead leaves off the bare winter hedges. After all, the estate must be kept in top form for the Young Master. It is a day just like any other day…

Sebastian wheeled the breakfast cart into the Young Master's room, the delicate china tinkling on its tray. He pulled open the heavy curtains so shafts of sunlight filled the room. Dust motes hang in the air, probably loosened from the curtains. Sebastian would discuss this later with Mey-rin.

"Good morning Master Ciel." Sebastian greeted, securing the curtains back so they wouldn't fall back over the large windows. His sensible shoes tapped against the hardwood floor as he walked around to fasten the curtains on the other side of the windows.

"This morning's tea is Earl Gray, made with bergamot imported from China and flavored additionally with lemon and Seville orange." He explained as he walked briskly to Ciel's side, pouring the tea in one fluid motion and handing the cup and saucer to the Young Master. The delicate scent of the tea drifted through the air, leaving the room smelling faintly of citrus.

Ciel deftly took the tea and sipped it as Sebastian began helping him into his day-clothes. The butler efficiently changed the Young Master's attire as he continued to explain the breakfast he had prepared.

"The pastry is made with fresh strawberries as well as strawberry preserve and is topped with blanched almonds and confectioners sugar. Your china is from France and was made in 1730. It is painted in the rococo style with light-hearted pastel colors."

As Sebastian finished his explanation he tied the final bow on Ciel's shirt, and stepped back with a bow. His face was set into his pleased-to-serve grin, and it wouldn't change easily.

"What is on the schedule today?" Ciel asked in a level, almost bored, voice as he stood up and faced the windows.

"There are no meetings arranged for today Young Master."

"Very well, I'll be in my study." Ciel said, walking towards the door and pulling back his loose, ruffled sleeve in order to grab the silver doorknob. "Make me something sweet."

Sebastian bowed as the Young Master left the room. "As you wish."

'What a spoiled brat.' He thought to himself, striding gracefully out of the room behind Ciel. The obedient grin was still set perfectly on his face.

'~~~

It was later in the day now, and Phantomhive was still bustling. The day had started off seemingly warm, but the weather had quickly worsened, turning into what was now a full-blown blizzard. Fierce wind whistles against the glass windows, and snow lies a foot deep across the gardens and even the roads, as there is no one to clear them out in the country. Outside in the frigid air, Baldo, the cook, is busy chopping firewood, as no one else would volunteer for the harrowing job…

Swish, thunk! The hatchet whistled through the air and landed on the log, cleaving it easily in two. Baldo withdrew the hatchet and raised it for another swing. He shivered violently as a blast of snow assaulted him, and grumbled angrily to himself as he brought the hatchet down again.

"I'm not even allowed to blow up the stupid things." He complained through chattering teeth as he split another log down the middle. "That would have been much easier… but no… Sebastian says hatchets work better!" Again, he swung the diminutive axe and cleaved another log in two. Then for a moment he stopped, wiping his sweaty brow under the thick hat he was wearing. How could he be so hot and cold at the same time? It was ridiculous!

"He-help!"

Baldo stopped and listened, had that been the wind? Or was someone calling for help?

"Please! S-someone!"

Baldo squinted through the raging storm, and called out. "Is someone there?" There was no response from the mysterious voice, but close by he thought he heard something fall heavily in the snow.

The cook fought his way through the storm, snow and wind stinging his face like freezing bullets. He squinted through the thick barrier of white swirling all around him, but couldn't see his own feet, let alone a distressed person collapsed in the snow.

All at once, Baldo's foot caught on something soft, and he toppled over it into the snow. He wiped his running nose and streaming eyes, then turned around to find that he had tripped over the person calling for help… or he thought this was the same person…

She was tiny, and wrapped in fur from head to toe, her midnight black hair spilled from the fur hat covering her head. Her eyes were closed, her breathing shallow. Baldo got up to his knees and eased his hands under the little girl, lifting her out of the snow. He took a moment to wipe the hair out of her face to reveal red cheeks and nose, and blue lips. He tapped her little face gently.

"Erm… Lady? Are you awake? Can you hear me?" He asked, ignoring the freezing air stinging the inside of his nose as he breathed.

There was no change in the girl's face, not even a twitch. Baldo cursed under his breath, and clutched the girl to his chest as he stomped back through the blizzard towards the manor on numb toes.

The cook hammered desperately on the huge double doors that marked the front entrance of Phantomhive. The main entrance was a lot closer than the servant's door, so he'd had no choice but to go there, although Sebastian would probably rip his head off for it.

Indeed when the doors swung open, they revealed a livid butler, looking down his long nose at the cook.

"That is not firewood." Sebastian stated, crossing his arms, his expression mildly perturbed. He seemed unbothered by the snow and wind blowing his long bangs into disarray, and in fact didn't look at all cold.

"Get out of my way, can't you see she's hurt?" Baldo sputtered through his clenched teeth, stumbling into the entrance hall with his little bundle.

Sebastian sighed heavily as he easily swung the heavy doors closed against the wailing storm. "All I asked is for you to chop firewood, and you bring me a new guest instead."

Baldo ignored the butler's sardonic quip and lay the girl down on the marble floor, inspecting her. She must have been out in the storm a very long time, for the heavy fur coat she wore had been soaked through and was now frozen, in fact, it looked like all her clothes were stuck to her skin by ice.

"What did the girl do, jump in a pond?" Sebastian asked, scooping her up into his arms without a glance at Baldo. "Baldo, get Mey-rin to run a hot bath and prepare the young lady a bed and sleeping clothes, I have to cut these frozen rags off of her."

'As if I could trust anyone else around here to so much as hold a pair of scissors around a living person.'

Baldo nodded and ran towards the servant's quarters, leaving puddles of melted snow behind him. Sebastian sighed, knowing he was the one who mop the marble clean tonight. He then carried the girl to a bathroom, where Mey-rin would hopefully, but not likely, show up soon to give the girl a bath if she regained consciousness.

It was going to be a long night…

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Please comment I appreciate the feedback! Love you all!_

_~Lolita_


	4. Chapter 4

_Wee! I've been getting a lot of this done lately! ^^This is sort of a filler chapter... well I guess ALL of it has been, because none of the plot has really started yet XP _

_Anyway, hope you guys have fun with this! I love all you readers, and I **do** love your comments so keep them coming! _

_~Lolita_

* * *

Ch. 4

The next morning at Phantomhive Manor was filled with tension. Who was this girl? Where was she from? Would she EVER wake up? These were the burning questions filling the minds of the manor's residents, and they were shortly to be answered…

Serafima's eyes fluttered open to a blinding world of white. Was she dead? It was so warm and comfortable here, and everything a pearly white. She decided she _must _be dead and in heaven.

"Oh look! She's awake! She's awake!" a voice cried out. Serafima frowned as she heard muffled footsteps heading away from her. Angels didn't run… She opened her eyes further, glancing around her. When her eyes finally adjusted to the light, she saw that it wasn't clouds surrounding her, but a stunningly white downy comforter and heaps and heaps of equally snowy pillows.

Serafima tried to sit up, and managed to prop herself up on her elbows. She looked around the empty room, breathing in the smell of charcoal and linen. The walls were a dusty parchment yellow with a pattern of tiny fleur d' lis, and the furniture was among the most beautiful she had ever seen. A large fire roared opposite her huge four-poster bed, and a huge pair of windows adorned the wall on the left side of the bed. Through the frosted windows, between the heavy purple curtains, Serafima could glimpse the outside world. Everything there as well was blanketed in white.

"Good morning miss." Serafima jumped and turned to look at the speaker, clutching her sheets to her chest. Before her stood a butler, his black hair combed neatly, his smile serviceable, and his posture impeccable. He held a silver tea tray that clattered ever so slightly as he carried it to her bedside. He placed it neatly on the side of the bed, talking to her as he did so.

"You gave us quite a shock last night miss," The butler said with a jaunty grin that made Serafima want to smile back. "It's not every day you find little girls out in the snow. If you don't mind, may I ask your name?"

"Serafima Alkeav, sir. I-I'm from… urm… Poland?" This of course was a lie, and a bad one at that. Serafima simply couldn't tell the truth, her father had for some reason warned her to not tell anyone she was from Russia, 'No matter what!' He had said. Then he had kissed her forehead, helped her into the carriage, and waved to her until she could no longer see him standing by the gates of the estate.

"Oh really?" Said the butler, drawing Serafima out of her memory. "That's an odd name for a Polish girl." He eyed her suspiciously, but didn't question her further. Serafima let out her breath when the butler turned away, pouring her a cup of tea, and handing it graciously to her.

She took her tea and sipped it, crinkling her nose. Oh… Earl Gray, she absolutely could not stand Bergamot. She politely set the cup down and folded her hands in her lap, sitting up straight as she had been taught. A movement at the door caught her attention, and she caught a glimpse of two servants before they withdrew their heads abashedly. She arched her neck to see further around the frame, but to no avail, the servants had obviously fled.

"Excuse me madam, but I think you should lay back down. Even just a cat nap would do your health—"

Serafima gasped at the word 'cat', sitting bolt upright. "Oh goodness!" She exclaimed in her nearly perfect, though heavily accented, English, "Mushka! I've left my Mushka!"

"Your mouse?" The butler asked in confusion, narrowing his eyes.

"No, my cat!" Mushka wasn't the Russian word for mouse, exactly, but more of… an endearment. The real word was moosh (ooc: well it sounds like that anyway).

"You named your cat, mouse?" The butler asked, raising an eyebrow.

Serafima ignored his remark, and tried to climb out of the huge bed, being just careful enough as to not knock over the tea tray. "I have to go get her! She'll freeze to death! She'll—"

Serafima was out of the bed, and looking around for snow boots, or slippers, or anything really. The butler tutted in disapproval and picked the up small girl, lifting her with ease back into the bed.

"No, no young mistress, I can't allow that. But tell me, which direction did you come from?" His eyes gleamed with a sort of determination. "I will save your cat."

Sera blinked her large eyes. "Oh, well then. My carriage was attacked on the road parallel to this manor, a few miles away I think. It should still be there."

"Attacked, you say…" The butler stated, casting his eyes down in thought. Sera gulped, had she said too much?

A loud clatter interrupted them, and Serafima looked up to see a tall, scruffy-looking man with blonde hair enter the room. He had rolled in a breakfast cart, which was filled with… was it charcoal for the fire? He glared at the butler.

" Sebastian! I told you I would handle her breakfast!" The man yelled, gesturing to the cart.

Serafima looked at the butler, so his name was Sebastian… "Sorry, Bard…" Sebastian responded with a false smile "I felt she would want real food after her rough night."

Bard fumed, glaring angrily at Sebastian. The butler brushed off Bard's irritation, standing up and saying. "The young lady has left her cat, I am off now to rescue the creature."

Serafima looked up at him. "Please Mister Sebastian, please go now, she must be nearly frozen to death." Her huge amber eyes welled up. "Please, please save her."

Sebastian bowed, "I will do everything in my power, madam." Then he dashed from the room, Bard yelled at him to wait and ran after the butler. After the two were gone a couple of heads peeked around the door into the room.

"Oh, she's lovely, she is!" Came an excited voice from the other side of the door after the two heads had disappeared.

"I told you she was, didn't I Mey-rin?"

"Ooh yes, but it's so much more convincing in person!"

Sera sat up in her bed, wiping her eyes with the long sleeve of her white night gown. "Um, excuse me." She said in a very small voice, blushing faintly at addressing the two strangers.

There were sounds of a minor panic outside the door before two servants entered Sera's room, looking a bit ashamed.

"Sorry to listen in on you madam," The maid said, bowing deeply. The boy with her met Sera's eyes for a moment then looked down, blushing fiercely.

"No, i-it is fine." Sera said, looking down, "I just wondered… where am I?"

Sebastian ran easily through the snow, hardly sinking through the surface. Bard, on the other hand, struggled through the knee-deep drifts. Sebastian looked back, and said.

"Bard, go back, or stay right here. This will go faster if you just let me handle it."

Bard stopped, putting his hands on his knees. "Alright Sebastian… Just hurry will ya?"

Sebastian smiled devilishly and answered. "Of course."

In a flash the butler was on the edge of the trees. He jumped from branch to branch, disrupting snow that had gathered on the bare limbs. Consequently, the sound of snow crashing to the ground followed his dash through the forest. At last the road came into view through the leaves, and Sebastian landed lightly next to it, walking closer in order to see the wreckage of the carriage more clearly. The whole thing was tipped over, the wheels crushed by some terrible force. The wreck was covered in snow, except parts of it which looked like they had been burnt. The carriage door hung open, barely hanging on its hinges, and all the glass windows were broken. The shafts that held the horses were broken, the creatures had probably fled long ago. Sebastian could see no sign of a coachman.

Sebastian walked up to the door, and looked through. The inside of the compartment was ravaged, as if someone had torn through it looking for something. The butler made a mental note of this, and then crawled into the ruined space.

"Nyan, nyan, nyan…"

Tiny meows came from under the seat, and Sebastian looked under, certain this was where he would find the creature.

"Nyan, nyaaaaan."

Sure enough, under the seat lay a small basket. Sebastian ignored the moan of the broken carriage, he would get out of it in due time. He lifted the top of the basket, revealing a nest of blankets and little pillows. Nestled among the blankets was a tiny kitten, white and fluffy as the snow that lay a foot deep outside, around it's neck a pink ribbon was tied in a bow.

"Worry not, my lady in white." Sebastian reassured, stroking the little cat. "I'm here to save you."

* * *

_Like it? I do ^^ But of course **I** do… haha! ; D Well, thanks as always for reading._

_Mushka is by the way pronounced **Moosh**-kah not **Mush**-kah. Just so you know ^^_

_Love you all,_

_~Lolita_


	5. Chapter 5

Ch. 5

Serafima sat in her bed, looking expectantly at the two servants across from her. They were both looking at each other, one attempting to speak just as the other began to do the same, and subsequently interrupting each other.

"oh… well—"

"you see—"

"Oh no, you go first MeyRin."

"I'm sorry Finny, I didn't mean—"

The sharp tap tap tapping of heeled boots sounded lightly from behind the door, and Sera looked around the stammering servants just in time to see the door open.

A young boy swept into the room. His hair was nearly black, but bordering more on blue or gray. His skin was pale as an egg shell, and a large bright blue eye stared attentively at her from a beautiful, round face. The boy's other eye was hidden by an eye patch.

'Just like a pirate.' Sera mused, falling into fantasies of dashing vagabonds scouring the seas for treasure. She'd never met a pirate before. She stared straight back at the boy unabashedly. He really was a beautiful child, just the smallest bit shorter than she was, but besides the eye patch, she decided he really looked nothing like a pirate. Maybe he was the Earl's son? He really did seem quite young, and was thin and small for his age, though not so much as to be called frail, for there was a lovely glint in his eye that spoke of unfathomable determination.

A hard thunk woke Sera from her meandering thoughts, and she blinked. The boy had come forward again, his cane rapping against the wooden floor. She gasped suddenly, only then remembering her manners. What would her educate tutor think of her? Then again she had never been too attentive during those lessons, she much preferred science courses to social niceties. She sat up straight in bed and bowed slightly.

"Ex-excuse me," She apologized, her dark tresses falling in front of her blushing face as she lowered her head. "I forgot myself, I am Serafima Alkeav. You must live here, are you by chance the son of the Master? I apologize for intruding upon your hospitality in such a manner. If there is any way in which I can repay you…?"

The boy's face did not change as she spoke, nor did his gaze falter. His face was a mask of apathy, his eye only betraying a hint of curiosity as he continued to scrutinize her. As she finished her introductions, he bowed slightly, taking her little hand in his own.

"Greetings Miss Alkeav, I am the Earl, Ciel Phantomhive, the head of this estate." He swept back his blue tail coat with a flourish and lightly kissed her hand. Sera blinked in bewilderment, this _boy_ was the Earl? But no, it was not right to call him a child. The boy exuded confidence and maturity, he had obviously gone through many a hardship in his short life. She didn't dare consider him anything less than a mature member of society. But what a strange circumstance! This young earl fascinated her greatly, and she longed to ask him why he was the head of the household. But Serafima knew better than to ask something so personal, it was more than likely a sad tale, seeing as his father couldn't be present if _he_ was the Earl.

"It is an honor to meet you Earl Phantomhive. Thank you for saving me from the storm, I am certain I would have died otherwise." She lowered her eyes to the white blankets. She was not ready to speak about the events that had occurred last night, and hoped the Earl would not ask about it. When she had collapsed in front of the huge house, she had been certain she would die. It had been a surprise for her to wake up this morning, safe and warm. She was truly indebted to this boy.

"You will have to thank Bardroy—our cook—for your rescue last night, miss Serafima." The boy said, his whole stature maintaining that aloof air, but his eyes telling of some kindness behind the formality. "He was the one who carried you out of the gale." He paused, releasing Sera's hand and looking over his shoulder at the two servants lingering quietly in the corner. "I shouldn't keep you any longer, I have business to attend to and you need to rest and recover your strength. If you need anything at all, ask MeyRin or Sebastian to attend to you."

Serafima sat up straight again, "Well, I seem to be in fine health, really I don't see a need to intrude upon you any longer than necessary. If I could only pay you for being so helpful." She reached down, patting the covers to see if her coin purse was hanging at its customary place at her hip. She blinked, she couldn't feel the purse… in fact she couldn't feel any of her normal clothing. She frowned, looking down and pressing her finger tips against her collarbone. The fabric there was not the thick fur and wool that she had been wearing last night, but a sumptuous velvet nightgown in a light seashell pink. She ran her fingers over the soft fabric, reminded of a stuffed rabbit she had carried with her as a child. Suddenly the reality of the situation hit her and a blush warmed her cheeks. Who had changed her clothing? She hastily dropped her hands back into her lap, her gaze held fast on the blankets, all thoughts about money banished.

"Don't worry about repaying me Miss Alkeav. It is not necessary." Sera looked up at the boy as he spoke, his chin was held high and his gaze was lowered upon her as if she was a child. She wasn't sure what to think of him, but she didn't like the idea of not repaying him somehow. She decided to drop the subject for now, she would repay him, even if he was not aware of it. Besides, the butler, Sebastian, had been gone for some time now… was her little Mushka safe?

"T-thank you Earl Phantomhive… I won't keep you any longer." Sera stuttered, coming to her senses once more. She lowered her head, unable to express her gratitude enough.

"Aah… Young Master, I see you have met our unexpected guest." A smooth voice came from the doorway, and Sera's head jerked upwards, her eyes widening. She recognized that voice, it was the butler. She scrutinized the lithe form from head to toe, looking for a blanket or a basket, or perhaps a little wriggling bump under the immaculate uniform. However, she saw no signs of her cat.

"Yes Sebastian, we've been talking together." Ciel drawled, gliding regally away from her bedside and towards the door. "I am going to deal with some business. You will help Miss Alkeav with anything she needs, then you will join me in my study." The boy looked back at the servant, his blue eye communicating something deeper than his words.

"Yes Master." Sebastian responded, placing a hand over his chest and dipping his head low enough that wispy strands of his crow feather hair fell over his pale face.

"Farewell, Miss Alkeav." Ciel said, stopping in the doorway to glance back at her. "I trust you will be joining me for dinner tonight?"

Sera lowered her head respectfully. "Only if you wish me to be there, Earl."

The shadow of a smile ghosted over the Earl's lips, then he turned and swept out of the room without another word.

As Ciel left, Sera fidgeted with her sheets, twisting and untwisting them in her little fists. Formalities taken care of, she could now focus on what was really worrying her. Her amber eyes carefully examined Sebastian, dissecting every detail. She saw a pin on his lapel distinguishing him as the head servant, a spot of snow on his left shoulder, which was slowly beginning to melt, and the smallest dusting of ash on the tip of his pointer finger. So he really had gone to investigate the wreckage from last night. She frowned slightly as she continued to scrutinize him. The hems of his trousers were dry, though the snow outside must have laid a foot deep, and his pale face was not flushed, though it was some distance to the wreck from what she remembered, and to return so quickly must have required a fast pace. Also, his uniform was spotless, with the acceptance of the tiny flaws she had noted earlier. Too perfect… Suddenly Sera's eyes stopped, and focused on the servant's sleeve; a single white hair stood out against the black fabric.

Sebastian had been talking to the other servants as Sera had inspected him, but now he turned to her, looking as if he knew what she was thinking. He bowed slightly, his hand over his heart.

"Miss Serafima…" He started, his eyes lowered and his expression pleasant.

"You've found her…" Sera said, beating the servant to the fact. She sat up in the bed, and swung her legs over the edge. She ignored the mildly surprised butler and the aghast servants as her feet touched the floor. Her legs wobbled, and her face flushed, the world spinning slightly. Sera blinked away the fatigue and dizziness impatiently, and stepped over to Sebastian, holding a hand to her forehead as if to remedy her weakness.

"I don't know… have I?" Sebastian replied, a smirk playing across his lips. Sera smiled back, delighted to find someone to 'play' with her.

"Yes, you have…" She affirmed, her amber eyes meeting his mahogany ones. "There is ash on your glove, snow on you shoulder, and a single white hair on your sleeve. You've certainly found her." Sera's smile faded, and she looked away from his dark eyes. Her penetrating gaze scoured the room, searching for more evidence.

"But where have you put her?" She asked, her tone becoming worried. "I don't see her… did you leave her somewhere?"

"Your powers of perception are admirable, young lady." Sebastian replied, his eyes holding a certain respect that hadn't been present before. He straightened to his full height, clasping his hands behind his back. "But are you sure I do not have her? Surely you didn't think I would abandon your lovely pet."

Again, he was testing her, it reminded her of a game she and her father would play. Some tasks were simple, like finding messages hidden in her favorite books using some of the codes he had taught her. Other times the games were harder, requiring her to use every bit of her mind. During these games her father sometimes didn't even tell her what she was looking for, but merely tapped a pen near a line of the book he was reading, or casually pointed out a sign while they were out shopping in the city. Sera loved this sort of mystery, and was thrilled that Sebastian was 'playing' with her.

"No, no, I don't think that at all. You wouldn't leave her, I think you like cats." Sera said with a frown, as she stepped gingerly around Sebastian, looking behind his back. The obvious answer was he had given Mushka to Bardroy, the cook. He had run after the butler and offered to help after all, but it seemed much too obvious.

Sebastian remained unmoving, watching Sera out of the corner of his eye. His smirk widened. "It has nothing to do with liking or disliking anything, Lady. It is my duty as a butler to fulfill the desires of our guests. What kind of butler would I be if I could not complete this simple task?"

Sera quieted, not knowing what to say to his statement. A dull throbbing distracted her thoughts, and she rubbed at her nose thoughtfully, as if the simple motion would banish the headache. She pushed the steady ache to the back of her mind, and asked, "Are you hiding her with the cook?"

"Going for the obvious answer are you?" Sebastian asked, turning to her and grinning.

"Sometimes the answer is right before your eyes." Sera retorted, meeting the butler's gaze steadily.

"You are right, young mistress, sometimes you need only look straight in front of you." The butler smirked in a way that irritated Sera, as if she was no more than a toy at his feet. She frowned at him in annoyance, setting her little hands on her hips. He wasn't playing the game properly… then again…

Sera's eyes widened, and she looked down abruptly towards the butler's arms. Sure enough, there was her cat, her white fur looking even brighter against the black waistcoat. She was curled up, sleeping, but as Sera stepped forward, her blue eyes opened, blinking slowly.

"Mushka!" She exclaimed, taking the kitten as Sebastian offered it to her. "I'm so glad you're safe." Mushka's sides rumbled with a purr as Serafima held the kitten to her cheek, enjoying the warm brush of fur against her skin. Mushka let out a contorted meow as she purred, and placed a soft, pink paw on Sera's nose.

"How, did you…?"

"Don't worry over such trivial things, young lady." Sebastian interrupted, bowing low, his face coming down to her level as he did so. "You really are in need of rest and recuperation." His eyes flicked upward to meet Sera's as he spoke, shocking her with their intensity, as if his statement was an order.

Sera blinked several times, and took a step away from the butler. "I don't want to rest." She muttered, and who was he to boss her around? She was obedient to only one person in the world, and that was her father. Not even her tutors could put a leash on her. Her quick mind and curiosity led her to wriggle out of the hum drum of lessons and outside to study the local flora and fauna, which had always fascinated her deeply. She had never failed to trick even the brightest of her governesses in order to do as she wished. Oh poor, dear Mrs. Harrington, the English governess never could keep track of her, Sera almost felt sorry for the way she'd treated the really very kind woman.

But that was obsolete now. All she could think was that she really didn't want to take orders from this Sebastian fellow. She held his gaze steadily as he spoke.

"Resting is important." He insisted, raising an eyebrow at her.

"But it's boring, I don't want to do it." Sera retaliated, her frown deepening.

"I understand, but that fact is irrelevant in these circumstances." Sebastian said, his eyes now narrowing. Sera could tell she was wearing his patience thin.

Mushka began to purr in Sera's arms, and she nuzzled her little white head under Sera's hand. She stared at the ball of fluff for a moment, letting her stubbornness drain away.

Her body really did feel weak… how bothersome. It seemed she actually _would_ need to stay in bed, and she did suppose she felt just a _little_ bit sick. Her system must have succumbed to influenza while weakened by the frigid air. She put a hand to her forehead… but it felt normal to her. Well, that was odd, she'd thought she had a fever.

"Miss Alkeav, I recommend you stay in bed, this is integral to your…" The butler started talking, but Sera ignored him, walking to the other side of the room. As she brushed past him he halted mid-sentence, watching her curiously.

There was a small vanity in the corner with a large round mirror placed on its surface. Sera stood before it, examining her face. Her dark curls were disheveled, and her face was very pale, save for her cheeks which were flaring a bright red. Dark circles hemmed her eyes, and her normally doll-like face was gaunt and tired looking. She again placed a hand on her forehead, still cradling her sleeping kitten in the crook of her other arm. She watched as her reflection copied her, and frowned again in confusion. Her forehead still felt normal. But maybe that was because her hand was also hot? She frowned further, watching the little line between her eyebrows deepen along with her frustration. Her father had always taken care of her when she was sick like this, and ignored her questions, telling her to hush and focus on recovering. It was the only time he would ever refuse to answer her. He had never once taught her how to tell when she herself was sick. Oh, this day was only getting more and more troublesome. She supposed she had no other choice than to ask Sebastian.

"Do I have a fever?" She asked, still frowning at herself in the mirror.

Sera watched Sebastian's reflection as he walked up behind her, "I believe you do have a fever, Miss Alkeav." He motioned to the maid, MeyRin, who scurried forward and produced one of the new oral thermometers which took temperatures by being stuck into the patient's mouth. Sera opened her mouth slightly and grimaced as the cold glass touched her tongue before she closed her lips around it. MeyRin put a hand on Sera's forehead.

"Oh, you're sick. You are, you are." MeyRin said, nodding solemnly as she pulled the thermometer from sera's mouth. "A fever of 37 degrees Celsius." ((which is 99 degrees Fahrenheit))

Sera turned around, deciding that the most logical thing to do really was to sleep, she felt rather horrid to be quite frank. The motion of turning made her head spin, and she stumbled to the side. She threw a hand out to steady herself, and knocked something off of the ornate desk next to her, sending it tinkling to the floor. Mushka also fell from her arms as she tottered, and landed with a soft thump on all four paws, letting out a concerned meow. With a shaking hand placed over her face, Sera squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to regain her composure.

"Are you alright miss?" asked a worried voice, and Sera felt her weak legs relieved of the weight of her body as she was gently lifted. Was it the butler… or the cook…? She forced her eyes open slightly, and saw a white cotton shirt. So it was the third servant… Finny, wasn't it? Her head throbbed again, and she shut her eyes again.

Sera was laid gently onto the downy blankets, and she curled onto her side, letting the warmth envelope her. A high meow came from below, and she heard a rustle as Mushka jumped up onto the bed, and felt little paws walking over her shoulders to curl up in the mess of hair splayed across her pillow. Mushka's warm breath tickled Sera's cheek as the kitten purred.

Sera closed her eyes, pretending, or perhaps hoping, to sleep.

"Is she a noble Mr. Sebastian?"

"I can't tell, but she's certainly not Dutch. She's hiding something."

"Why would she do that?"

Sera was drifting in and out, sleep threatening to engulf her.

"… Think that…"

"…perhaps only…"

"Could be an accident…"

The heat of the fever was overcoming her, her hearing becoming muddled.

"…have to wait…"

"…inconsequential..."

Sera could barely hear what they were saying, let alone understand what it meant.

"… talk to the young master…"

…Silence…

YAY~! I finally got another chapter for you guys! I'm SO sorry I took so darn long!

If you care to know, I'll let you in on the reasons for my long absence. First of all, I've been super lazy, and having MAJOR writer's block… ugh.

Also, I'm happy to say that a couple weeks ago I moved into my dorm at Columbus College of Art and Design! YAY! This school is super fun and I love it, but the work load is huge, and I've been extremely busy with homework. =…= I'm surprised I'm not a zombie carrying a portfolio…

Anyway! Hope you guys like this! I'll try to get more up soon!

Love,

Lolita


	6. Chapter 6

_The day progressed as per usual at Phantomhive Manor, despite the unexpected guest in the spare room on the second floor. After all, there was dusting to be done, business to attend to, the Young Master's tutoring must remain on schedule, and most importantly perhaps, dinner was still to be prepared. Of course, in spite of all obligations, the odd girl had stirred up some talk within the otherwise peaceful household, and, as these things seem to go, tensions were slowly, discreetly, rising._

_-ch.6-  
_

"What do you think of her, Sebastian?" The young Earl asked, crossing one leg imperially over the other and leaning back in the overly-large winged armchair. The dull winter sunlight streamed through the windows of the study, casting Ciel Phantomhive in a cold blue light that matched his coat as well as his attitude.

"My opinion is hardly worth any weight, Young Master." Came the serviceable reply.

Ciel gave his servant a piercing look from his one exposed eye, and curled his fingers over the head of his cane. "I am not asking for an opinion, Sebastian, and I expect you to answer any question I present to you as if it was an order. Understood?"

"You seem to have made yourself clear, Young Master." Sebastian took a small pause before continuing. "She does not appear to be any threat, although the circumstances under which she arrived are… rather questionable."

The boy lifted his chin impatiently at the cryptic statement. "The circumstances being…?"

"Besides coming to us in the middle of a blizzard, her carriage had been attacked and searched, then burned. It also seems as though she is lying about her heritage." The butler sneered just slightly. "The girl told me she was Polish."

"With a name like Alkeav?" Ciel asked indignantly, "Does she think us stupid?" He snorted, turning a large ring around his thumb absently as he thought. "Well, either way it doesn't really matter. I have more important things than a lost little girl to worry over." He straightened in his seat. "Sebastian, I order you to keep an eye on her, and don't forget about tonight, I don't want my plans to be jeopardized by her."

Sebastian bowed gracefully. "There is no need to worry, Young Master, Serafima is sick with fever, and will not be joining you and your guests for dinner tonight."

"Hmph, all the better I suppose." Ciel said, "Pity, though, I would have liked to see how she conducted herself. I'm convinced she is of high upbringing, but I can't tell for sure." The boy tapped his fingers against his cane thoughtfully. "Really, it's just vexing how little we know of her. I want you to find out as much as you can, Sebastian, and tell me anything you find out along the way. It may be beneficial for us to keep her here a bit longer."

The sound of breaking glass erupted from the other end of the door, along with a high yelp and Bard's rough, barking voice.

The modeled smile stayed put on Sebastian's face as the Earl dismissed him from his presence, but it quickly vanished as he stepped into the hall and hastened towards the source of the commotion.

Fine china lay in pieces over the parquet floors, with Mey-rin hastily sweeping the ruined dinnerware into a dust-bin for disposal. Meanwhile, Bardroy kneeled by the mess, holding the dust-bin for Mey-rin with one hand, and a tray with a bottle of tonic and a steaming towel in the other. Both servants froze at the sight of a livid silhouette framing the doorway, and hastily began stuttering out apologies and excuses.

Sebastian silenced the two lower workers with a gloved finger, and asked, "Must every occasion begin calamitously? Are you trying to make my job harder?" He sighed and swept the broom and bin out of Bard and Mey-rin's bewildered hands, turning away to begin his long preparation for dinner. "Please, both of you stay out of the way. I have no time for your mistakes," He paused, glancing at the tray Bardroy was carrying, "And mercifully tell me what you've got there, Bardroy?"

What might have been a blush colored the cook's scruffy cheeks, and he straightened up, gesturing down the hall. "Got'a spoonful'a tonic 'ere for the Lady… er… Guest. I Jus figured, her bein' sick an' all."

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, but decided to let his suspicions sit for the moment. There were more important things to prepare, like the smoked salmon, and fresh cream and fruit for dessert, and, was that a finger print he spotted on the window? The butler shook his head doggedly, turning away from the amateur servants once again. "Do what you can for our guest, but leave all other preparations to me, if you will."

As the hurried steps of the butler echoed down the hall, Bard turned to Mey-rin. "Don't mind that ol' bat." He said bracingly, picking up the few surviving dishes and placing them back on their high shelf. "We all know Mr. Sebastian means well, eh?"

Mey-rin wiped her glasses mournfully. "Oh, yes, I'm sure Mr. Sebastian means none but good. I'd do anythin' fer him an' the Master, I would." She picked up her duster and gripped it determinedly. "That's why I'm gonna dust this place up right clean-like, I am. That shouldn't disturb Mr. Sebastian too much."

"Atta girl, Mey-rin, that's the spirit." Bard replied with a grin, straightening his tray. "Well, I'm off ta give Miss Sarah some medicine."

"Right-o, Bardroy!" The maid replied, beaming widely. "Check in on 'er fer me as well, won'cha? She looked sick as a dove when we left 'er. Do ya think she'll be alright? I never did see a girl so small and so sick all at once, and 'er bein out in the snow an all."

"Oh, I'll check on 'er for ya, Mey-rin. I'm sure she'll be just fine." Bard assured her, turning down the hall as he spoke. Mey-rin bobbed her head, and scurried off in the opposite direction. The dull winter sunlight hardly lit the hall as Bard reached Sera's door, and hesitantly turned the handle.

A rush of warmth assaulted the hallway as the door creaked open. A fire roared in its hearth, and the curtains were drawn over the window and around the four-poster bed, making the room look much smaller than it had appeared when Bard had last been in it. Hesitantly, the cook stepped into the dark room, flinching as the door shut itself behind him. Shadows danced in the corners with the fire light, and the candle beside the bed seemed about to burn out. Bard parted the curtains around the bed to find Serafima still asleep, her cheeks bright red, and the tiny white cat curled up next to her head.

"Mrrroow?" Inquired the high-pitched purr of the kitten, as it stretched its stumpy legs across the pillow.

Sera frowned, and muttered feverishly, turning away from the fire-light. Nána told me not to…" She whispered, curling into a ball under the heavy comforter. "He said not to." Her brow furrowed with worry. "I don't know why." As she turned away, her face was cast in shadows; the flickering light making her dark hair glow like stoked copper.

Bard turned away from the bed hastily, setting the tray next to the sputtering candle before retreating from the stifling room. The whole scene had been rather disconcerting, besides, he had important things to do. Yes… very important things indeed. The girl was asleep, so what could he do? He tried not to think of sickness and muttering in one's sleep as he hurried down the hall and away from the mysterious little girl.

_fin_

Okay, being honest here, I wasn't planning on continuing this story. But due to the amount of interest I've been getting lately, I think I might be guilted into it. ;)

Sooo, if you all continue to show some love for this, I'm sure I can scrape up the last of my energy to write out a few chapters every so often between assignments and my six hour illustration classes. ick. This is now my second year of college and I start classes at 8 AM tomorrow! Wish me luck, eh? Thank you so much for your support and comments, I really love any feedback; positive, negative, and helpful alike. ^^ Keep reading and enjoy!


End file.
